ExxonMobil Corporation had announced positive production well test results from the Muruk 1 sidetrack 3 well located about 13 miles (21 kilometers) northwest of the Hides gas field in Hela Province.
In a statement, ExxonMobil stated that the well successfully flowed gas at a rate of 16 million standard cubic feet per day.
The well rate was constrained by test facilities which limited tests to short flow and build up periods. Hydrocarbon samples were collected during the production test.
“We are encouraged by these well test results and will integrate them into the ongoing resource evaluation work and potential appraisal program in 2018,” president of ExxonMobil Exploration Company, Steve Greenlee said.
“The success at Muruk adds to a growing resource base in PNG, through focused exploration and ExxonMobil’s recent acquisition of InterOil. These high-quality resources position the PNG LNG project for a multiple-train expansion that will continue to provide a highly competitive cost of supply.”
The production test confirms Muruk as a potentially significant new discovery close to existing PNG LNG infrastructure.
Oil Search began drilling the Muruk-1 well on Nov. 2, 2016.
Petroleum prospecting license 402 covers 126,000 acres (510 square kilometers).
Interest owners are ExxonMobil (42.5 percent), Oil Search Limited (37.5 percent) and Barracuda Limited, a subsidiary of Santos Limited (20 percent), with Oil Search as operator.